Re: Downloading very large files

On Mon, Feb 13, 2006 at 03:27:32PM -0700, Jonathan Duncan wrote: > I have an application that delivers files to the client browser. These > files a very large video files. 250mb+ each. I have two options: 1) I > could have PHP deliver the file with "fread", or 2) I could have PHP > present a link to the file. However, for security purposes, I would > rather not have the actual files available. I suppose I could have PHP > create temporary symbolic links on the file system that link to the files > in question and then remove the links, thus requiring the users to go > through an authentication process to retrieve files that are assigned to > them. > > Anyway, downloading such large files causes PHP to balk with size > limitation errors. I could increase the size limit and memory limit > settings in "php.ini", but for file sizes that large, is it recommended? > Are there "best practice" limits on these settings: max_input_time, > memory_limit, max_execution_time, etc.? Well if things are done correctly, the only thing that may become an issue is max_execution_time. The basic logic for sending a file with php is: // authenticate the user (if they can download this or not) // send headers, like content-length, content-type, // content-disposition etc. // set_timelimit(0); if the user is on a slow connection.. // ignore_user_abort(false); see below // use either readfile() or fpassthru() // if this line is executed the user has mantained a connection so // far, so you are pretty much sure they recieved, or it is a PEBCK // issue, you can do things like add a successful counter or // something here. HTH, Curt. -- cat .signature: No such file or directory